Homemade Sorbet – The Recipe Critic


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Get ready for the most refreshing homemade sorbet that you have ever had with this perfect recipe! Silky smooth, packed full of flavor, and a delightful dessert for any occasion, this will knock your socks off!

I love a cool treat after a long day in the sun. Lucky for you, I have a few different recipes that you MUST try in order to beat the heat! My peach milkshake, this homemade ice cream in a bag, or this delicious frosted lemonade will do the trick!

A glass cup with a few scoops of homemade mango sorbet with a mint leaf on top.

Easy Homemade Sorbet Recipe

There is something about a refreshing dessert on a hot summer day. The food always tastes better, and this sorbet is no exception. Not only does it look gorgeous with its stunningly bright colors but the taste… It’s going to blow you away! Plus, when you hear how simple this is to make, you are never going to want to buy this from the store again!

I chose to make 3 different flavors of this homemade sorbet (because my kids couldn’t pick just one!), and boy, I am so glad that I did! I made mango, strawberry, and lemon. You can make one or make them all. My particular favorite is adding them all to the same bowl and eating them together. It’s fruity, fresh, and a dessert that everyone will love. The texture is perfectly creamy and melts in your mouth. You won’t be able to stop yourself from having seconds!

Ingredients in Homemade Sorbet

Since I couldn’t just decide on one flavor, I made three! This works out for you because now you have a few more options to choose from! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

Strawberry Sorbet

  • Frozen Strawberries: Bring these straight out of the freezer. You don’t want them to thaw.
  • Simple Syrup: This is just like it sounds. a simple syrup. The ingredients and instructions are on the recipe card.
  • Lemon Juice: This mixes with the strawberries and doesn’t just add flavor but keeps it fresh.

Mango Sorbet

  • Frozen Mango: You can buy this in a bag at your local grocery store.
  • Simple Syrup: Made from sugar and water, this is what will sweeten up the sorbet.
  • Lemon Juice: Add some brightness to the lemon flavor.

Lemon Sorbet

  • Simple Syrup: You probably can tell by now that simple syrup is a must when making sorbet!
  • Lemon Juice: You will use a lot of lemon juice to achieve a good flavor. Don’t be afraid. It’s the perfect amount for this homemade sorbet!
  • Lemon Zest: You get that fresh lemon taste from lemon zest.

Simple Syrup

  • Granulated Sugar: This will act as the sweetener for the homemade sorbet.
  • Water: The water is mixed in with the sugar. Once blended with the fruit, this is what gives the homemade sorbet a creamy texture.
2 pictures of frozen mangos being pulsed in a blender.

How to Make Homemade Sorbet

Get ready to see just how easy this homemade sorbet is to make. Not only is it delicious, but it makes SO much! And has such a better taste than anything that you could get at the store or a restaurant. After all, fresh is best!

Simple Syrup

  1. Boil: Bring the water and sugar to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes until all the sugar has dissolved.
  2. Cool: Turn off the heat and let it cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to prepare your homemade sorbets or for up to 1 month.
3 different flavors of homemade sorbet frozen in bread tins.

Strawberry Sorbet

  1. Pulse: Place the frozen strawberries, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Pulse to crush the fruit into pieces. Mix on high until smooth.
  2. Adjust with Lemon Juice: Taste and add more lemon juice or simple syrup as needed to adjust to your personal preference.
  3. Freeze: Transfer to a freezer-safe container (I prefer a 9×5 bread pan), cover, and freeze for 2-3 hours.
  4. Soften and Serve: When ready to serve, let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften before scooping.

Mango Sorbet

  1. Pulse: Place the frozen mangos, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Pulse to crush the fruit into pieces. Mix on high until smooth.
  2. Adjust with Lemon Juice: Taste and add more lemon juice or simple syrup as needed to adjust to your personal preference.
  3. Freeze: Transfer to a freezer-safe container (I prefer a 9×5 bread pan), cover, and freeze for 2-3 hours.
  4. Soften and Serve: When ready to serve, let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften before scooping.

Lemon Sorbet

  1. Whisk: Add the simple syrup, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a bowl and whisk together.
  2. Freeze: Transfer to a freezer-safe container (I prefer a 9×5 bread pan), cover, and freeze for 5-6 hours, removing it from the freezer and stirring with a fork every thirty minutes for the first 3 hours to help give the sorbet a lighter texture.
  3. Soften and Serve: When ready to serve, let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften before scooping.
The top vew of strawberry sorbet in a bread pan with a scoop scooping out the sorbet.

Variations

This homemade sorbet is delicious and easy! There are a few things that you may want to try to make it turn out perfectly for you!

  • Change up the flavor: The fruit in this recipe can be replaced with whatever frozen fruit you want to use. I love any kind of berries (but especially raspberries), lime, peach, or even watermelon! The amount of simple syrup and lemon juice may need to be adjusted to make up for different fruit’s sweetness or tartness. 
  • Fresh fruit MUST be frozen before using: When using fresh fruit, place sliced fruit on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze overnight before using in this recipe. Reduce the simple syrup to ¼-⅓ cup.
  • Try different citrus: The lemon sorbet can be adjusted for any other citrus, though sweeter citrus (like oranges) will require more juice and less simple syrup to avoid being too sweet. 
  • Don’t leave out the simple syrup: The simple syrup can be reduced in any recipe to cut the sweetness, but avoid eliminating it completely. The simple syrup has a lower freezing point than water or fruit, which helps the sorbet have a soft, silky smooth texture when you are ready to scoop it. 
  • Make the syrup ahead of time: The simple syrup can be made in smaller or larger batches, with equal parts water and sugar. It can be stored for up to a month in the fridge. 

A closup of the strawberry sorbet in a scoop.

How to Store Leftover Homemade Sorbet

You can easily store any leftover sorbet and enjoy it all month long! Keep your homemade sorbet in the freezer in an airtight container. Make sure that you are putting it on a shelf in the freezer and not the door. If you store it in the door, then it can get ice crystals because the temperature there is not consistent (because it gets opened and closed often). Your sorbet will last in your freezer for about one month.

The topview of strawberry sorbet, lemon sorbet and mango sorbet scooped in glass cups.


Simple Syrup

  • Bring the water and sugar to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes, until all the sugar has dissolved.

  • Turn off the heat and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to prepare your sorbets, or up to 1 month.

Strawberry Sorbet

  • Place the frozen strawberries, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Pulse to crush the fruit into pieces. Mix on high until smooth.

  • Taste and add more lemon juice or simple syrup as needed to adjust to your personal preference.

  • Transfer to a freezer-safe container (I prefer a 9×5 bread pan), cover and freeze for 2-3 hours.

  • When ready to serve, let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften before scooping.

Mango Sorbet

  • Place the frozen mangos, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Pulse to crush the fruit into pieces. Mix on high until smooth.

  • Taste and add more lemon juice or simple syrup as needed to adjust to your personal preference.

  • Transfer to a freezer-safe container (I prefer a 9×5 bread pan), cover and freeze for 2-3 hours.

  • When ready to serve, let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften before scooping.

Lemon Sorbet

  • Add the simple syrup, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a bowl and whisk together.

  • Transfer to a freezer-safe container (I prefer a 9×5 bread pan), cover and freeze for 5-6 hours, removing it from the freezer and stirring with a fork every thirty minutes for the first 3 hours to help give the sorbet a lighter texture.

  • When ready to serve, let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften before scooping.



Serves: 5

Calories337kcal (17%)Carbohydrates90g (30%)Protein1g (2%)Fat0.4g (1%)Saturated Fat0.05gPolyunsaturated Fat0.1gMonounsaturated Fat0.1gSodium42mg (2%)Potassium178mg (5%)Fiber1g (4%)Sugar87g (97%)Vitamin A333IU (7%)Vitamin C44mg (53%)Calcium22mg (2%)Iron3mg (17%)

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.





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